Seasonal variation of N, P, K and Ca content of leaf, crown and root of 'Sweet Charlie' strawberry under different irradiation

Abstract

The current study was designed to determine the seasonal dynamics of mineral nutrient contents (N, P, K and Ca) in the leaf, crown, and root under different irradiation in the strawberry cultivar 'Sweet Charlie'. The experiment involved three treatments: greenhouse check (GC), constant shading (CS), and open field (OF). Leaf, crown, and root samples were obtained from the plants at different growth stages, and mineral contents were determined by the standard method of dry ashing. The contents of all elements tested were expressed in % dry weight. The nutrient contents in leaf, crown and root changed according to different treatments and plant growth periods. In general, N, P and K contents in all treatments decreased during flowering and harvest period since they were used for fruit. Calcium uptake showed a peak at the time of flowering and during fruit ripening because of increasing temperature. Nutrient contents in individual plant organs in OF was lower than in CS and GC during the experiment.